A Lonely Winter Night
by sweetnsilver
Summary: His face and nose were tickled pink from the cold and his midnight tresses sprinkled with snowflakes. Amu felt her breath catch in her throat, the room suddenly seemed to have grown smaller, and the air thicker. He wasn't supposed to be here.


Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara or any of its characters nor do I intend to.

A/N: I just got into Shugo Chara and have been reading the english scanlations online. I haven't watched much of the anime considering I don't understand a word of Japenese and subtitles give me a headache...I totally fell in love with Amu and Ikuto, their totally a hot pair, and make much more sense then some of the other Amu and insert name here pairings, but that's just my opinion. The story is just something that popped into my head, sorry if any of the characters seem out of character. As for their ages, Amu is in her senior year of highschool so lets say age 17 and Ikuto is in college maybe 20. So their not as far apart as they are in the manga/anime, but who cares, its my story. Oh yeah, I really hope you enjoy.

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A Lonely Winter Night

Amu's wide liquid amber eyes scanned across the tiny print before she turned the crinkly page. A musty smell permeated from the novel in her hands as her nose wrinkled in response. It was such a contrast from the pumpkin spice scent lingering in the air around her. The embers in the fire cackled in the marble fireplace, flames dancing around wildly to their own song. Absently, she crossed one knee sock clad leg over the other, a light smile pressing onto her glossed lips as she continued her reading.

Music blared in the background, the rhythm beat against her ears louder then she remembered. Her nostrils flared in response, her fingers twitching, as her eyes narrowed. "Turn it down, Ami," she hollered at her sister who was stepping with the music in her bedroom with her best friend. Her body relaxed once the volume had softened. She leaned back against a vintage laced cushion, her eyes lingering on the dancing flames of the scented candles placed on the coffee table before her. There apple scent blending with the pumpkin added a nice homey touch.

Amu stood up and stretched after marking the page she had been reading; the pumpkin spice scent was more prominent now. The corners of her mouth lightly twitched as her mouth watered in response to the smell of the baking pie her mother had left behind for her and Ami. She allowed her attention to turn away from the pie for just a moment as she gazed beyond the French windows lining the entire span of the back wall. Miniscule crystalline like flakes sprinkled onto the already formed powder white blanket below; she could stare at the scene forever. With a shake of her head she turned to head into the kitchen, to the pie that was now probably on the verge of escalating into burnt crumbs.

Pulling open the oven door, she was greeted with a strong smell of pumpkin and spice. She let out a light sigh, grateful in not sensing a horrid smell, and pulled out the delectable to be allowed to cool. Her father and mother were out at a friend's for dinner and wouldn't be back till late. Amu didn't really mind, but she wished one of her friends would show up to keep her company. She brushed tresses of bubblegum hair out of her face as she felt loneliness claw at her insides. Desperately, she wished the nauseating feeling would disappear; she didn't need this right now.

Amu propped herself against the wall, her thoughts drifting. She missed him, the sweet sound of his violin, the intent gaze when he looked over his sheets of music, concentrating on the new song he should have been learning. His music always seemed to hit her heart with an intriguing beat, and to think there was a time when she detested the sound of classical music. She missed the way his midnight tresses seemed to brighten his sapphire orbs, the way his lips curved ever so slightly into a crooked looking smile. Her breath rate increased as she felt her self tremble, she missed the way he chuckled, the way he teased her, toying with her mood purposely. She missed the way his cologne wafted in the air around her in an inviting manner; his heavenly scent light and subtle. She missed the way…_Stop_, she pleaded with her brain, forcing all thoughts of _him _to vanish.

Amu steadied herself, holding back tears that threatened to fall. She bit down onto her lip, pushing the image of his long and thin face away with eyes like chips of dark blue ice. God, if he saw her now he'd just say how pathetic she looked. Smoothing out the pleats of her plaid mini skirt, she decided to head back in to the living room where her novel awaited her. Her trip back to the living room ran astray, much to her dismay, and she glowered over the fact of having to take a side trip into the foyer.

Persistent knocks were muffled through the door, and Amu pulled it open without asking who it could be. She knew for a fact it was far too early for her parents return, but Tadase's name had been racking in the corner of her brain. He told her he might stop by when they had talked over the phone earlier. _Tadase_, she mentally repeated his name, letting it rest at the tip of her tongue. No doubt, things would have been far less complicated if they had gotten together. She sighed letting the mental image of his blonde hair and large blue eyes evaporate.

"Yo!" Her body froze in response to the familiar voice that had just pierced her ears…it couldn't possibly… Slowly, she looked up meeting a set of blue irises gazing back at her with an expression she couldn't quite read. There was Ikuto leaning against the door frame with an amused grin. His face and nose tickled pink from the cold and his midnight tresses sprinkled with snowflakes. Amu felt her breath catch in her throat, the room suddenly seemed to have grown smaller, and the air thicker.

She swallowed, watching him brush the snow out of his hair, a few strands obscuring his azure eyes; her throat pricked with desiccation. Ikuto placed his violin case by the door, the handle landed with a swift click when he released it, before unraveling the scarf from around his neck. _No_, she thought while frantically shaking her head, he wasn't supposed to be here. She watched him slip out of his coat in a quick lithe movement as if she were seeing some sort of cruel illusion. He then undid his cuffs while simultaneously unknotting his tie with the same assured and def movements she was so accustomed to.

"I hope you were thinking about me," he added throwing in his trademark smirk, when was the last time she had seen that? Amu sweat dropped, had the illusion actually talked to her? He pulled out his shirt from his original tucked position before dropping the first few buttons of his crisp white collared shirt as Amu continued to stare; he never could wait to un-preen himself. Ikuto was supposed be away at college studying music; a musical prodigy.

"Quit staring," he added with a light chuckle sent her way. She blinked a few times as his dark eyes pierced through hers, if he continued she was sure he'd be able to burn a hole through her eyes. She felt them form, the tiny droplets, around the corners of her large hazel eyes. Honestly, she hadn't intended on crying. In fact fought against her will to hold back the tears, but even so couldn't help the dampness around her eyes before the full fledged leakage occurred.

It only grew harder with every breath she took to stop them, the tears; her body shook her brain alarmed and panicky. Without thinking, she pushed against him hard. His back met the wall, his expression once again amused, a look he seemed to wear often around her, his cerulean eyes softening at the sight of her. Her gaze wavered against his, her vision blurred as she tried to make out his handsome face, but it was no use, she wasn't finished with the tears yet.

How long had she been holding them back, she remembered the day of his leaving, her eyes dry as a desert, why couldn't she be like that now? Angry at herself and Ikuto for showing up unannounced, she hit her fists against the flat planes of his sculpted chest. He was surprised how lightly her fists collided into him; with her livid expression he expected a much more forceful collision.

His mouth was tight as he lifted her chin, and she stopped what she was doing immediately; cheeks now bearing a breath of pink. He watched her squirm in his hold, wondering how long it would take before she would give in. His other hand came around her back holding her up because she was sure her knees would give in any moment, none of this made the slightest sense to her.

"W-what…" she stammered trying her best to look away from the eyes stretched before her like a vast ocean, eyes that always had the ability to suck her in like a whirlpool.

"Amu," her name sounded so much better when he said it with his voice smooth and velvet like. He pulled her closer to him, and for a moment she considered yelling out in rage. He met her strawberry scent lingering around her, embedded into her skin, giving him a moment of bliss. "I missed you." The simple words made her smile; she couldn't remember the last time she had a real reason to smile like this.

"What are you doing here, Ikuto?" she finally managed to say as he dropped his fingers from around her chin and caressed her cheek with his thumb; skin softer and smoother then he remembered.

"Its winter vacation," he reminded her as he slid his hand down her neck and traced her collar bone with the finger tip of his index, the mere act sent a chill trickling down her spine. Some how that didn't uplift her mood in the least, her forlorn glance continued, remained persistent.

"What about the recital in France?" she asked, her fingers prickling as he ran a hand through the soft locks of her strawberry hair, hair smelling just as its namesake.

"I didn't take…"

"Why?" she demanded, her voice feeble, neither breaking eye contact. Her heart thumped in her chest, hammering may have been more accurate.

"Because," he stated in his silky voice, "I love you." Her lips parted, but no words were uttered, his answer perfect. Sure, he was an idiot for declining such an offer, an offer that might jumpstart his professional career, but right now, at this very moment, she didn't care. For once, she wanted to selfish.

"I love you," she replied before he captured her lips. She missed this, the warmth that radiated when their lips touched, the softness of his lips working against hers. He pulled away tapping her nose as his hand came to rest at the small of her back and his other intertwining through her fingers.

"How about you offer me some of that pie?"

"How about you pick up some manners."

"Oh, and some hot cocoa would be divine." She let out a laugh giving his cold hand a gentle squeeze so as to pass the warmth onto him, God, she missed him.

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A/N: I hope it was to your liking, please leave a review to tell me what you thought of it, I'd be forever grateful.


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